


Venom Veins

by ghouladventures



Category: Wild Kratts
Genre: Animals, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fear of Death, Fear of Heights, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Major Character Injury, Matter of Life and Death, Men Crying, Nature, Snakes, Whump
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-14 15:27:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29173371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghouladventures/pseuds/ghouladventures
Summary: While searching for Bonobos in the Congo rainforest, Chris accidentally frightens a highly venomous snake.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 22





	1. The Slithering Branch

**Author's Note:**

> First Wild Kratts fanfic! I used to be obsessed with this show when it first came out. Now I started re-watching and watching all the episodes I haven't seen. I forgot how much I loved it. After binge reading fanfics I decided to write my own! 
> 
> Disclaimer: there will probably be some scientific inconsistencies and exaggerations for the sake of story. I did my research on the animals but I'm no expert. Also, I just write these for fun so I don't revise much. 
> 
> At first the fic plays out as a normal WK episode, and I wan't it to feel like watching an episode, it just gets darker and more serious than a usual one.

There was never a dull moment when exploring the rainforest. The thick canopy of green and mist held nature's greatest beauties, and horrors. Nevertheless, Chris and Martin always shook with excitement at the chance for a creature mission in the mystifying jungle. As the Tortuga approached the forest, the brothers' impatience grew. 

"Jimmy, I get that the view is great from up here, but could you land?" Martin asked, joining Jimmy in the cockpit. 

"Hey, it's not easy finding a place to park a giant turtle in a dense forest!" Jimmy explained, scanning the area. 

The swoosh of the cockpit doors sounded. Chris walked in with the same motive as his brother. 

“Can’t find a place to land?” Chris predicted, walking over to the window. 

Chris pressed his face against the glass, enamoured by the view. Martin (much less gracefully) accompanied him seconds later. 

“I can’t wait to get down there, and finally see one of the coolest chimps on earth” Chris started. 

“The bonobo!” Martin and Chris both exclaimed. 

“Primates closely related to chimps, and humans! And the Congolian rainforest is the best place to find them” Martin stated.

“You mean the only place to find them. Bonobos are endemic to the Congo, remember?” Chris elaborated. 

“Yeah I know” Martin chuckled.

An abrupt jolt in the Tortuga threw the brothers off balance and onto the floor. 

“Oops, sorry guys” Jimmy apologized. 

“Are we ready?” Martin gasped, jumping up. But to his disappointment they were still airborne. 

“No, but the Tortuga’s acting kinda strange” Jimmy replied, struggling with the sporadic wheel.   
________________________________________________________________________________

“Aviva, we can’t wait any longer,” Chris begged. 

“Chris is right, we gotta get out there!” Martin added.   
“Alright fine, we won’t keep you waiting. We’ll drop you off and let you know where we park” Aviva replied. 

“Great, thanks Aviva!” Martin said, already prepping for the creature adventure. 

Within seconds, the brothers were already parachuting out the door. 

The wind felt good amidst the humid air of the rainforest. Chris’s heart thumped with enthusiasm at the thought of seeing Bonobos up close. Primates of any kind always fascinated him, their intelligence, social behavior, and strength would never grow tiring. 

Landing on the soft leaves of the forest floor, the adventure had finally begun. Looking up at the trees, it was obvious why Jimmy couldn’t find a spot to land. The treetops shrouded the forest in a blanket of lush green.They provided shade, letting speckles of sunlight to peek through. The trees themselves were grand, tall, and humbling. Looking up at the wonders reminded one how small they really were. Yet, the trees, the animals, the air, everything; it was all part of us, something Chris contemplated everytime he stepped outside. It truly was a perfect day. 

Chris and Martin began their journey into the underbrush. 

“Ok, so I’m a Bonobo. Where would I be…” Martin thought aloud. 

“Bonobos are both terrestrial and arboreal, meaning they live on the ground and the trees,” Chris stated. 

“Once we find one it should be easy to find others. Bonobos live in large communities of up to 120! Phew, naming 120 Bonobos is gonna be tough,” Martin added. 

“We should look in the trees, they like to eat fruit and even use leaves as medicine” Chris said, looking up at the trees. 

Martin picked something off the ground, returning with a large beetle in hand. 

“They’re omnivores, so they also eat bugs and other small creatures too.” Martin started, placing the beetle back down. 

“On the ground, we’d have a better chance of finding them” Martin emphasized, pointing to the ground. 

“Martin, this is the rainforest. Insects are everywhere” Chris reminded. Gesturing to a bug that had found its way onto his shoulder. 

“Okay Chris the expert, I bet I can find a Bonobo before you. Whoever finds them first gets the first creature power disc, and bragging rights” Martin wagered. 

“You are so on bro!” Chris accepted the challenge.   
The brothers ran off on their mission to find the Bonobos.

Chris headed for the trees, climbing as fast as he could. High in the trees, Chris whipped out his pair of binoculars. Scanning the canopy, his search stopped to focus on a small movement. Watching intently, the figure shifted, turning its head. Chris climbed upwards, getting a better view. The creature turned to face his direction. Sure enough, a female Bonobo with a baby sat comfortably in the tree, munching on leaves. 

“Sorry Martin, but you lost this one” Chris said to himself, satisfied. 

Chris located how far the Bonobo was from his location. Only about 4 trees ahead. The forest was so thick that he wouldn’t even have to touch the ground to climb over there. Reaching out for a branch, his gaze met the forest floor, twisting his stomach into a knot. Chris retreated to the tree trunk for stability, as the dizzying height swayed and taunted him. Shutting his eyes, he tried to compose his racing mind. 

Ever since the fall from their draco adventure, Chris feared heights. The phobia still plagued him. He knew he was a skilled climber, and he loved climbing. Yet a small voice echoed in his brain, telling him to fear the very thing that brought him joy. Pushing the thought away, Chris looked ahead, motivating himself. ‘Focus on the climbing and you’ll be fine.’

Reaching forward, he grabbed onto the branch in front of him.   
________________________________________________________________________________

Martin crept along the earth, searching for the primates. He figured it wouldn’t be too hard to spot one. After all, they were quite recognizable, with a signature high-pitched call to guide him. A rustle in the bushes ahead piqued Martin’s interest. Just as he went to investigate, his creature pod rang. 

‘Of all the times I get a call’, he thought. With the click of a button, Aviva’s screen projected outwards. 

“How’s the Bonobo search going?” Aviva inquired. 

“I’m getting close, I can feel it. Chris and I are competing to see who can find one first. Chris took to the trees, but I’m positive I’ll find a whole community right here on the ground” Martin explained. 

“Alright I’ll keep it brief so you can keep searching. We’re parked about half a mile from your current location” Aviva said, showing a map of where they are. 

“The Tortuga’s having some technical issues, so we’ll just be here fixing it up…” Aviva continued. 

The bush ahead rustled again. An ape-like hand emerged from the bush, followed by a Bonobo, tracking down a bug.

“Aviva! I found a Bonobo!” Martin exclaimed, overjoyed. 

“Really!” Aviva replied, Koki and Jimmy appearing on the screen intrigued. 

“Yeah check it out!” Martin said, filming the Bonobo. 

“I’m gonna call you...Bushy!” Martin named him. 

The bonobo caught the bug with ease, putting it in his mouth and retreating behind the bush again. Martin followed the creature. Past the bush, Martin stood amongst a whole community of Bonobos.   
____________________________________________________________________________

Only one tree to go, wouldn’t be long now. Chris had a clear view of the mother Bonobo, captivated by the tranquil creature, he inched forward through the trees. Awe stricken by the sight, his focus on climbing decreased the closer Chris got. 

“Wow”, he whispered to himself. 

Grasping another branch, his body fell. Jolted out of his trance, his arm remained clinging to the tree by instinct. His shoulder ached and burned from the sudden gravity, as if it would have fallen right out of the socket. The steep drop down seemed to spiral farther down. The adrenaline rush blinded his better judgement, his anxieties manifesting with every shallow breath. If his heart beat any faster it surely would have burst. 

Chris brought his other hand to the branch. Except the branch was...squishy? Raising his gaze to the branch, his mouth went dry. On the branch sat a Jameson’s Mamba. A highly venomous snake; and Chris was squeezing its tail, crushing it to the branch. The mamba slinked its head menacingly forward, flattening its neck to give the impression of a cobra, a defense mechanism. Chris found himself profusely apologizing to the snake, attempting to stay calm under the crushing tension. Two roads to death stared him down, devouring his grip of rationality. The serpent bared its needle-sharp fangs, venom dripping from their points. Chris begged for his life, knowing the creature wouldn’t hear his plea, and knowing it had every right to strike. It was nature. 

In a flash, the snake’s fangs pierced through the skin on his arm. Sharp, burning, stinging pain shot through his arm, forcing hot tears to cloud his vision. Chris’s grip on the branch slipped. A scream of pure anguish and terror overtook him as he plummeted down the stomach-churning height. Desperately grasping the tree for salvation, receiving ghastly cuts and scrapes in return. 

Through his attempts, he managed to slow his fall, clutching onto a branch much lower to the ground, but still a frightening height. His bite pulsed stinging pain throughout more of his arm now. Exhaustion had reached its peak, Chris held onto a thread. A flimsy, wimpy, dead branch, to be exact. The sickening crackling pushing his torment over the edge. 

CRACK!

Gravity pushed Chris to the ground until…

THUD.


	2. "Chris?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The absolute worst time to forget a first aid kit.

Martin sat surrounded by a huge group of Bonobos, just hanging out with them. They were much more peaceful than common chimpanzees. Lounging around, grooming each other, eating fruit and bugs. Martin could get used to this. 

“Check it out,” Martin said, still on call with Aviva. 

The lead female of the group signaled it was time to find a new foraging spot. The rest of the Bonobos getting up. 

“Bonobo communities are led by elder females. Unlike chimpanzee colonies who are male dominant. With Bonobo’s the female’s lead.” Martin observed. 

“Incredible!” Aviva replied, adding information to the creature power disks. 

The young male Bonobo, Bushy, curiously walked up to Martin. 

“Hey Bushy! How’s it hanging? Oh Chris is gonna be so psyched to meet you” Martin said, enjoying the little primate’s playful nature. 

Bushy examined the creature pod in Martin’s hand. 

‘Where is Chris anyway?’ Martin thought. He couldn’t have been that far away. Martin searched the trees. He felt something being yanked from his hands. 

Bushy began fiddling with the creature pod, pressing buttons and seeing what it did. Martin chuckled. Fascinated by how quickly the ape figured out the device. 

A blood-curdling scream pierced the air, interrupting the peace. The hair on Martin’s neck stood on end. Chris. The shriek that undeniably belonged to his little brother. 

The sudden fright sent the Bonobos off, Bushy running off with Martin’s creature pod.

“Hey wait!” Martin called, letting them go on their way. 

Martin bolted through the forest. Frustrated at the vines and foliage slowing him down, attempting to ensnare him. Frantically, he scrutinized the treetops for a sign of his brother. Pushing down the horrifying thoughts and images that invaded his imagination. ‘Find Chris first, everything will be fine.’

CRACK! 

The sharp sound echoed through the forest, followed by a dreadful thump. Martin rushed towards the source of the sound.  
____________________________________________________________________________

Chris hit the ground, his lungs struggling for air, the fall knocked the wind out of him. His head smacked the ground painfully, his helmet didn’t seem to do its job very well. Lying on the floor, choking on air, the ground underneath him an ocean of twisting waves. Exasperating the spinning in his head. His body, in urgent need of rest, sent Chris plummeting once more. Into darkness. 

“Chris!” Martin called out, desperation in his voice as he continued his search. 

Martin stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of his brother, lifeless, on the forest floor. 

“Chris…?” Martin choked, his eyes welling up. 

Martin ran to his brother’s side, immediately checking for a pulse. An inconsistent and weak thumping, but it was a pulse nonetheless. Martin exhaled a sigh of relief. But they weren’t out of the woods yet, literally. 

Martin placed a hand on Chris’s shoulder, shaking him with extreme caution and gentleness. Chris’s breath hitched, his brows furrowing slightly. 

“Chris, you okay?” Martin questioned. Chris obviously wasn’t okay, but Martin couldn’t think of anything else to say. 

Chris fought against the grasp of unconsciousness, struggling to open his eyes. He heard a muffled, echoing voice above him. It sounded familiar, comforting. His eyes fluttered open sluggishly, the sunlight overwhelmingly bright. 

“Chris can you hear me?” Martin asked, seeing his brother coming to. 

The voice echoed again, a hazy image of someone stood over him. His eyes adjusted to the light, but his vision was still unfocused. The throbbing sting of the snakebite returned, his whole body was aching with pain. Waking up was a bad decision. 

“Talk to me Chris,” Martin said, lightly holding Chris’s face, looking into his dazed eyes. 

Chris tried focusing on the figure, the image becoming clearer. Three copies of Martin danced around his vision, the echoey voice becoming more audible. His brother looked full of worry. The snakebite sent out a jolt of malevolent pain. A loud groan of agony escaping his lips, he lethargically lifted his hand. It took nearly all his energy to grasp onto the burning wound. 

Martin noticed the movement, curiosity blending with apprehension. Why was he grabbing his arm like that? Cautiously, Martin placed his hand over Chris’s, pulling it away to reveal the secret. A pool of red, inflamed skin surrounded two tiny dots. A snake bite. Martin gasped, examining the bite. 

Martin let go of Chris’s arm, whipping out his backpack and rummaging through it. Where the hell was the first aid kit? He dumped out the contents of the bag, the first aid kit was nonexistent. And he didn’t have his creature pod! ‘Don’t panic. Don’t panic. Chris needs you right now.’ Martin diverted his attention back to Chris, who was clutching his arm. 

“Chris, we gotta get you back to the Tortuga,” Martin said hastily, trying to keep his emotions under control.

Chris hadn’t said a word since Martin found him, and it frightened him. Chris wasn’t all together there, and it showed. In the middle of the rainforest, with no first aid kit, and no communication. His positive thinking being stolen by fears of his brother’s demise. Chris’s voice broke his mental spiral. 

“M-martin” Chris whispered, voice weak and breaking. 

“I’m right here Chris” Martin replied soothingly, he had to stay strong. 

Chris’s lip began to tremble, despair written on his face. 

“Am I g-gonna…” Chris trailed off, tears forming in his eyes. 

“.. die?” he finished. 

“No, I’m getting you out of this. You’re not dying on my watch” Martin replied with false confidence. 

Martin got a small epiphany. Chris still had his creature pod! He reached for Chris’s power glove, where the creature pod sat in place. A large crack through the middle of the screen made Martin’s stomach drop. This can’t be happening. He tapped the screen, it flashed and glitched, showing a static screen.  
____________________________________________________________________________

Back at the Tortuga, Koki got an alert from the computer. It was from Chris’s creature pod. Koki accepted the call with a smile, but it soon faded at the sight of the bad signal. 

Through a broken and static connection, Martin’s face showed up for only brief seconds at a time. Koki tried to combat the errors, but to no avail. 

“#####….########....Chris!...#######….hurt..#######…..help!------------------” the cryptic message said, before cutting out. 

“Aviva!” Koki yelled.  
____________________________________________________________________________

“Okay I just called Koki but I don’t know if they got the message” Martin explained. 

Chris didn’t respond, his gaze set straight ahead and unmoving. He had stopped his grimacing and groaning. ‘This is it’, Chris thought. The last time I’ll see my brother, the earth, the animals, the trees. Once again he was reminded of his smallness, his insignificance, yet just existing seemed to hold a giant importance. He wasn’t ready to leave, there was so much more to explore, creatures to find, adventures to have. 

“Chris!” Martin practically screamed, seeing his brother’s stillness.


	3. The Tree's Lullaby

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Martin drags Chris along a treacherous journey back to the Tortuga.

Chris was snapped out of his thoughts, blinking. 

“Don’t scare me like that,” Martin demanded, voice trembling. 

A small “sorry” was all Chris could manage to say. 

Chris was getting worse, and it had only been minutes. Martin looked ahead at the twisted labyrinth of trees ahead, then back to his suffering brother. ‘If the crew didn’t get the message, Chris is done for’ Martin thought. Where his little brother was concerned, Martin took no chances. 

“Chris, I know this is the last thing you want to hear, but we’re gonna have to walk. It’s your only chance” Martin admitted, a guilty wave of empathy hitting him. 

Martin was right, that was the last thing Chris wanted to hear. But he was right, he could feel the venom coursing through him, draining him. If he wanted to live, he’d have to walk. Chris looked back to Martin, giving a dismal but understanding nod. 

“I’ll be with you every step of the way,” Martin consoled. 

Chris gave his brother a weak but genuine smile. Attempting to sit up was harder than he expected, it was as if he had become rooted to the ground. Martin recognized his brother’s dilemma and gently helped Chris sit up. The movement caused the ground to sway, waves of nausea making him seasick. Chris held a finger out, signaling he needed a second. The familiar feeling of water in his throat could only mean one thing. 

Chris emptied the contents of his stomach in one horrendous retch. His body’s desperate response to the poisonous substance. He felt Martin pat him on the back for comfort. 

Martin kneeled down next to Chris. That was hard to watch. Martin’s heart weeped seeing his brother in this state. Chris turned his head towards Martin, eyes tired and distraught. 

“It’s alright Chris, I know it hurts now but I’m gonna get you out of this, okay?” Martin consoled. 

Chris couldn’t manage to get words out, mind fuzzy with delirium. Martin took his hand, wrapping Chris’s arm around his shoulder. 

“You ready?” Martin questioned. Chris nodded.

Getting up, Chris’s weight hung dead against Martin. Maybe this wasn’t going to work.

“Come on Chris, don’t do this” Martin begged. He knew Chris couldn’t help it, but Martin feared every minute that passed. 

Chris planted his feet on the ground, finding balancing to be very difficult. He shook his head slightly to clear it. Focus. Breathe. Using all the strength he had, Chris managed to stand. With the help of his brother of course. 

“That’s good Chris, one foot in front of the other” Martin encouraged, taking a tiny step forward. 

Chris followed the movement, clinging to Martin for support. They followed with another step, shaky and slow. They continued the process to a slow and steady rhythm. 

“That’s it Chris, we’ll be there before you know it” Martin comforted Chris, attempting to comfort himself as well. 

Martin wished Chris would talk more, it would be a lot more reassuring. He glanced at his sibling and wondered if Chris was still inside there. The sight of Chris stirred his uneasiness. His complexion continued to lose color, his eyes rolling closed frequently. Martin’s eyes caught a small animal on a tree branch. It was a chameleon. Martin slowed to a stop. 

“Chris, look,” Martin said pointing to the chameleon, which was slowly inching across the branch. 

Chris lifted his head to view the creature. Upon seeing it, a bit of light returned to Chris’s eyes. The corners of his mouth turned up to a faint smile. He looked at the animal with wonder and enchantment. Chris was still in there. 

The chameleon turned one of its eyes to look at them, continuing its leisurely journey. Martin saw Chris’s smile fade, his eyes glistened, welling up with tears.

Chris’s happiness was robbed by grief. Grieving the life he had lived, and the days he wouldn’t see. ‘But I’m not dead yet!’ Chris’s head screamed, trying to rationalize. But he had a strong theory that this would be his last day (or hour) on earth. The chameleon, peacefully walking by served as a reminder of the existence he would be leaving behind. 

Hot tears threatened to fall from Martin’s eyes. He wasn’t exactly sure what specifically was making Chris cry, but he didn’t need to know. Chris’s expression spoke for him. His mind struggled to fight off his devastating worry. Martin turned towards his little brother, wrapping his arms around him. Embracing Chris in a hug. Chris tried the best he could to return the hug, but was too weak to do so. 

A tear fell from Martin’s eye. He hugged Chris tighter, a sob racked his body. He heard Chris sniffle, letting out a shuddering breath. Though time was running out, Martin couldn’t help but linger in the hug. ‘This may be my last chance to hug my brother’ Martin thought. Another tear ran down his cheek. Martin took Chris’s arm again, holding him up again. 

A few steps back into their walk, and Chris gradually became heavier and heavier in Martin’s arms. Chris tripped and stumbled over his own feet. Martin found himself dragging Chris along in many instances. 

The ground was beginning to feel like quicksand. Chris struggled against unconsciousness, his mind going blank, his world going dark for minutes at a time. Little dots dancing around his vision, his head feeling light and airy. His walk faltered. He shivered, his body getting colder and colder. His hearing returned to an echoing buzz. Chris could hear his brother’s voice pulsing in and out of clarity. His breathing ragged. 

Martin could no longer ignore that he was dragging Chris across the ground. Chris’s legs seemed to have stopped working. Martin stopped walking, Chris’s legs giving out as he dropped to the ground. Eyelashes fluttering closed, his body growing limp. Suppressing a scream seemed nearly impossible for Martin. He was terrified. 

Martin shook Chris, not too gently, he didn’t have time.

“Chris, stay with me bro, you gotta stay awake” Martin pleaded, lightly slapping Chris on the cheek. 

The slap to the face prevented Chris from slipping away, becoming more alert. Through the blur he saw Martin over him, begging him to stay awake. That wasn’t as easy as it sounded. Chris’s body was beginning to feel numb, even taking a breath took too much effort. He felt his body being lifted up, being hoisted onto Martin’s back. 

Martin held Chris up in the world's most depressing piggy-back ride. Chris’s head rested on Martin’s shoulder, unable to hold it up. Martin continued the quest, picking up speed. His brother was nearly gone. He ran as fast as he could through the maze of vines and leaves. 

Chris rested against his brother, no strength left. The ride was uncomfortable, but it was easier than walking. He appreciated his brother’s perseverance, but Chris didn’t see survival in his future. The angel of death was catching up with him, Martin couldn’t outrun the inevitable. 

He was going to die. Chris had reluctantly accepted his fate. Using all the energy he had, Chris leaned back, looking upwards. The trees smiled back at him, the heavenly canopy of green singing an angelic lullaby. Tears pricked at his eyes, he just let them fall. His world became a hazy dream, it seemed to be moving in slow motion. 

His strength spent, Chris fell back onto his brother exhausted. He felt a liquid run from his nose, past his mouth, giving him a sample of blood. The corners of his vision closing in, darkness encompassing him. 

“G-goodbye” Chris croaked, before he succumbed to the darkness. 

Martin halted at the sound of his brother’s voice, noticing a red line of liquid running down his shirt. Panic set in. Immediately, Martin lowered Chris to the ground. His little brother fell limp and lifeless onto the forest floor. Tears began to pour from Martin’s eyes, eyebrows stitched together in despair. Chris’s face was a sickly pale, his lips blue and cold, contrasting with the crimson stain across them. His body completely relaxed. 

“Chris!” Martin cried, holding his brother close to him. 

Chris was unresponsive, his breathing so shallow it nearly ceased to exist. 

“No no no no, Chris don’t leave me! Please…” Martin sobbed. His hope escaping with every tear he shed. 

Martin would give anything to wake up from this nightmare. This couldn’t be real! This isn’t his time to go! Hot tears clouded his vision, sobs shaking his frame. 

“Chris fight!” Martin screamed, shaking Chris in an attempt to keep him alive. 

Chris was incredibly still, his pulse fading with every hollow breath. Martin held Chris in a hug, rocking back and forth in lament and panic. 

“Don’t go, don’t go, don’t go” Martin repeated, tremulous with distress. 

Martin laid Chris back on the ground, kneeling over him. He placed both palms together, pressing forcefully and repeatedly on Chris’s chest. Martin refused to give up. Switching from chest compressions to supplying his brother with air. He continued, on and on, but to no avail. Martin stopped compressions, sobbing over his brother’s chest. It was no use. He didn’t even get to say goodbye. 

A faint sound in the distance grew louder, the buzz of an engine.


	4. The Glowing Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aviva comes to the rescue with a first aid kit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't want to wait this long to post another chapter but you know, life happens. Finally got some time to work on this chapter! Hope u enjoy it!

The sound grew closer until a figure came into view. Martin recognized who it was immediately. A tiny glimmer of hope pierced into Martin’s anguish. 

“Aviva! Over here” Martin screamed, waving his arms frantically. 

Aviva approached on a hoverbike, pulling up next to them, jumping out immediately. A first aid kit in her hands. 

“You gotta help him,” Martin pleaded. 

The pit of Aviva’s stomach dropped at the sight of Chris. She knew he had been hurt, but this, this was serious. Chris pale and lifeless on the ground, Martin weeping over him. She had come prepared to repair physical wounds, not emotional ones. The atmosphere overwhelmed her own emotions, she found herself tempted to join Martin in his outburst. 

“What happened?” Aviva asked, she knew there wasn’t time for questions, but an answer would mean hope for Chris. 

“S-snakebite,” Martin managed through the tears, holding Chris’s limp arm up to expose the proof. 

Aviva knelt down next to Chris and examined the bite. In a flash, the first aid kit was open, antivenom being loaded into a syringe. Picking up Chris’s arm, she analyzed the skin for that little blue line to insert the needle. Aviva was a much better scientist than a nurse, and she wasn’t too confident in her medical skills; but when death is the only other option, it doesn’t matter. 

Holding Chris’s arm still was heart-breakingly easy. In one swift movement, Aviva pierced the vein and slowly pumped the healing concoction into Chris’s bloodstream. Taking out the needle, she sat back. Both Martin and Aviva were silent, just watching Chris, as if they expected him to suddenly sit up, perfectly fine. 

Chris felt strange. Floaty and weightless, as if he’d just drift up into the sky. This feeling overtook him, until the ground beneath him fell away, replaced by air. The sky, the world around him, was painted in a soft, shimmering bright glow. He was a feather, dancing in the wind, floating up, up, up, until he stopped. Looking back down, he saw himself. Martin and Aviva kneeling next to him. Why was Martin crying? What was Aviva pumping into his arm? Staring at his own lifeless body, Chris got the sense that something was wrong. Something bad happened. But the weightlessness, the dreamy glow surrounding him seemed to interfere, clouding his thought. The glistening light beckoned him, inviting him to just float away. But something held onto him, a rope of doubt pulling him back to earth. 

Aviva found a tear of her own rolling down her face. The surrealness of the situation had caught up with her. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Not to Chris, not to Martin, not to anyone in the crew. How would they move past this? Things would never be the same. The way Chris looked, his chance of survival was only getting slimmer, if it wasn’t too late already. 

Martin couldn’t accept the events that unfolded as reality. This couldn’t be real. ‘There is no way Chris is dead’ Martin repeated to himself. He felt like screaming. Like throwing up. Like crying himself a lake and swimming in it. He glanced down to Chris, who lay unmoving, cold. A faded, pained expression still etched into his face. Even while resting, he couldn’t rest. Martin shakily brought two fingers to Chris’s neck, preparing for devastation. 

Chris watched the glowing light moving further away the closer he got to earth. He floated all the way down until he met the ground once more. A sort of ‘click’ feeling came over him. The whimsical radiance losing its shine. Darkness returned to replace the light. 

Wait a minute. ‘Am I going crazy or does he still have a pulse?’ Martin thought, mind racing. He quickly went for Chris’s wrist, checking for the telltale sign of life. The pulse remained. 

“Aviva, I feel a pulse” Martin stated, trying to battle his relieved excitement. Getting his hopes up would only mean a more painful letdown. 

Aviva wiped her eyes with her sweatshirt sleeve, eagerly reaching out and checking Chris’s pulse. Sure enough, a heartbeat sent out a message that Chris was still alive. She must have checked a dozen times, and she could confirm; the pulse remained. 

The sound of Chris taking in a raspy breath became music to their ears.

“That’s it Chris! Breathe” Martin encouraged, although he was positive Chris couldn’t hear him. 

Martin held onto Chris’s hand, his tears of sorrow being washed away by tears of joy. He couldn’t help but smile. Worries still shouted in the back of his mind, but right now, Chris was alive. He was alive! 

The sound of Martin’s excited voice broke through to Chris’s hearing. He had no idea what was going on, or what happened. His whole world was only explained through fuzzy blurbs of consciousness, eventually he just stopped asking questions. He couldn’t even open his weary eyes if he wanted to. 

“We need to get him back to the Tortuga,” Aviva stated. While she was overjoyed to see Chris was breathing, his state was still far from alive. 

“Martin, do you have the miniaturizer?” Aviva asked. 

“Yeah, why?” Martin replied, pulling the miniturizer out of his bag. 

Aviva adjusted the setting on the miniaturizer and pointed the beam at Chris, shrinking him until he was no taller than a pen. 

“Hold out your hands” Aviva instructed. 

Martin, confused, did what Aviva asked, holding both of his hands out. 

Aviva tamely lifted mini Chris off the ground, placing him in Martin’s hands. 

“This will make the ride a lot easier, for both us and Chris,” Aviva explained, packing up the first aid kit. 

‘Why didn’t I think of that?’ Martin thought, recalling how difficult dragging Chris through the woods was. He held out his shirt, lowering Chris into his makeshift hammock. 

The hoverbike was already started, Aviva waiting impatiently. Martin hopped on the back, making sure Chris was safe and well protected. It actually looked kinda comfy in his shirt hammock, but it would be a while before Chris was comfortable again. 

The hoverbike sped off, zipping through the trees and vines. Martin tried his best to keep a steady balance against the twists and turns. The ride was excruciatingly long, yet seemed over in a flash. 

Martin had never been happier to see the Tortuga. While mother nature was where he thrived, the Tortuga was home. A place of security and relaxing familiarity. He looked back down to his little brother, and the hope that kept Martin going was running out. Sure Chris was breathing, his heart was beating. But was he really alive? Martin knew that venom contained neurotoxins, which affected brain activity. Would Chris even be Chris anymore?


End file.
